The concert — which also featured performances by Mary J. Blige, Christina Aguilera, Sting, Billy Joel, Jimmy Fallon and Aerosmith — raised money for the American Red Cross' relief efforts for victims of Hurricane Sandy.

“We're going send this out to the people of New York and New Jersey, to all those who put their lives on the line with their service this week,” said Springsteen, a native of Freehold, before performing “Land of Hope and Dreams” to close the show

Bon Jovi performed a stripped-down acoustic medley of “Who Says You Can't Go Home” and “Livin’ on a Prayer.” Backup guitarist Bobby Bandiera, a native of the Jersey Shore, wore a blue Donovan's Reef sweat shirt. The Sea Bright bar was among the Jersey Shore landmarks destroyed by Sandy's wrath.

Prior to Bon Jovi's performance, a segment of his visiting his hometown of Sayreville on Thursday was shown.

“It's not about the houses, it's the neighbors who were here — it was one giant family,” said a Sayreville resident in the clip.

9 p.m. Christie orders gas rationing

After long lines for gas across much of New Jersey in the wake of superstorm Sandy, Gov. Chris Christie has signed an executive order to implement 1970s-era style gas rationing in 12 counties, including Monmouth.

Ocean County is not on the list.

A statement from the governor's office late Friday said Christie took the action to prevent a fuel shortage and ease the problem of extended wait times and lines at gas stations, declaring a limited state of energy emergency with regard to the supply of motor fuel and implementing odd-even rationing for gasoline purchases in 12 New Jersey counties. Odd-even fuel sales will take effect in the following counties at noon on Saturday in Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Morris, Monmouth, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union, and Warren counties.

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"As New Jerseyans continue the long process of recovering from Hurricane Sandy, it's imperative that our families have secure, reliable access to essential supplies like fuel. Right now, the impact of the storm, particularly the continuance of widespread power outages, has created the disorderly sale of gas – including long lines, out of operation stations, and stations facing shortages,” Christie said in a written statement. "This system will ease the strain on those gas stations still operating, while we work to bring more online for the public to access fuel, in a manner that is fair, easy to understand, and less stressful.”

Once in effect, all retail dealers of motor vehicle fuel will be required to only sell such fuel for use in a passenger vehicle in which the last number of its license plate corresponds to the date on the calendar. In other words, a motorist operating a car or truck with a license plate that ends in an even number would only be permitted to purchase gas on an even date. A motorist with a car or truck with a license plate that ends in an odd number would only be permitted to purchase gas on an odd date.

Specialized plates – or those plates not displaying a number – will be considered odd numbered plates.

Christie and state Attorney General Jeff Chiesa pledged to aggressively and vigorously enforce the order to ensure compliance and the effectiveness of the policy in the affected counties, according to the governor's office.

"The orderly and reliable sale of gas to our residents is essential to maintaining a steady and reliable source of power for both transportation and the maintenance of essential services at home," Chiesa said. "With the challenges we face in the storm’s aftermath, we will be vigilant in enforcing this odd-even system, as we ease the stresses on the system. I encourage all New Jerseyans to abide by this system – motorists and retail dealers alike – to ease wait times and improve access for everyone. Those who choose to disregard this order will be prosecuted to the fullest extent permitted under the Governor’s state of emergency authority."

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These sales provision will remain in effect for as long as the governor's limited declared state of energy emergency is in effect in those 12 counties, which is indefinite.

7:50 p.m. South Carolina company trucks generators to the Shore

WALL: The vehicles pulling into the Lukoil station here along Route 34 on Friday afternoon weren’t looking for gas. They were shopping for generators.

A South Carolina company trucked a trailer full of 170 generators to sell to residents and business owners at the Shore desperate for power. The prices — cash only — ranged from $300 for a small unit that had enough juice to charge cell phones and keep a TV running for a little while, to $2,380 for a diesel-fueled, industrial-grade unit that could power a whole house. The prices were sharply discounted because of the emergency, said Kurt Delph of Ram Equipment Co. in Travelers Rest., S.C.

The company is the exclusive distributor of Frontier Industrial Equipment, which is manufactured in the same town. Delph said the company’s main business is selling generators where they’re most needed, typically after a storm or natural disaster.

“We drove all night. It was 16 hours away,” he said.

Susan DiRenna, for one, was happy they came. She paid $1,880 for a generator, hoping it can power at least a portion of the liquor store she owns in Manasquan, Spirit of ’76 Wine & Liquors.

“I heard this morning it could be another 15 days” before power is restored in the area, she said.

Delph’s trailer was three-quarters empty by 3 p.m. Friday. Frontier has plenty more available, he said.

“If we get rid of these today, they’ll have a semi here tonight,” he said.

7:20 p.m. Alternatives created so NJ storm victims can vote

New Jersey residents whose communities were hard-hit by this week’s storm are being given extraordinary options to vote in Tuesday’s election: They can drop by their county clerk’s office all weekend to vote in-person and they can text a special number to find out if and where their usual polling location has been moved.

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Gov. Chris Christie said Friday that his administration is making sure residents have opportunities to vote, even if their polling station is without power or has been washed away.

“We need to make sure we give everybody a transparent, accessible, open voting process on Tuesday,” Christie said after greeting FEMA staffers at a newly opened storm center in Ocean County. “We have a national election, and we have to make sure every New Jerseyan who is qualified to register and vote has the opportunity to vote, and the system that the lieutenant governor put together, I believe, will make it easy for you to vote.”

Christie said utility crews are working overtime to restore power to voting locations. But some residents will find National Guard trucks at their polling station, which will serve as makeshift voting booths. Residents will vote there on paper ballots — “old school,” as Christie put it.

Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno, who oversees elections, urged storm-ravaged residents to visit their county clerk’s office between now and Election Day to cast their ballot in person. The clerks’ offices will be staffed during business hours Saturday and Sunday accommodate storm victims.

Guadagno says she expects few polling places to have to be moved. While she didn’t have the complete list handy Friday, she said 10 voting locations in Monmouth County would be without power on Election Day.

She said residents can text “WHERE” to 877877 or log onto www.elections.nj.gov to find out where they can vote on Tuesday.

In Newark, Essex County Clerk Chris Durkin said most of the county’s 306 polling locations have power.

“What we’re doing in locations that are unsafe or do not have power, we are making a plan currently to move those polling stations into existing polling locations,” he said. “We don’t want to displace any voters, but we need to be concerned with the safety and the power of these polling locations.”

He said no Newark residents would have to leave their ward to vote.

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He and Mayor Cory Booker are also urging residents to take advantage of early voting at the county clerk’s office.

5:40 p.m. New York City Marathon canceled

The New York City Marathon was canceled Friday by Mayor Michael Bloomberg after mounting criticism that this was not the time for a race while the region is still recovering from Superstorm Sandy.

With people in storm-ravaged areas still shivering without electricity and the death toll in New York City at more than 40, many New Yorkers recoiled at the prospect of police officers being assigned to protect a marathon on Sunday.

An estimated 40,000 runners from around the world had been expected to take part in the 26.2-mile event. The race had been scheduled to start in Staten Island, one of the hardest-hit areas by this week’s storm.

“We would not want a cloud to hang over the race or its participants, and so we have decided to cancel it,” the mayor said in a statement. “We cannot allow a controversy over an athletic event — even one as meaningful as this — to distract attention away from all the critically important work that is being done to recover from the storm and get our city back on track.”

Bloomberg called the marathon an “integral part of New York City’s life for 40 years” and “an event tens of thousands of New Yorkers participate in and millions more watch.”

He still insisted that holding the race would not require diverting resources from the recovery effort, but understood the level of friction.

“It is clear it that it has become the source of controversy and division,” Bloomberg said. “The marathon has always brought our city together and inspired us with stories of courage and determination.

5:30 p.m. Highlands meeting 1 p.m. Saturday

The Highalnds Emergency Management Office will hold an informational meeting for borough residents on Saturday.

The meeting will be held 1 p.m. at the Highlands Elementary School.

5 p.m. Most NJ schools will open next Thursday, Friday

The New Jersey School Boards Association says most of the state’s public schools will be open on the days next week when they had planned to be closed for a state teachers’ union convention.

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School Boards Association spokesman Frank Belluscio says the districts need to hold classes on Nov. 8 and 9 to get to the required 180 for the year.

Many districts across the state were closed all week this week because of the storm.

He says that for those that missed fewer days, there are more options for making up days, including shortening spring break.

He says that teachers unions have not had objected to holding classes next year. The New Jersey Education Association decided Thursday to cancel this year’s convention.

4 p.m. Mayor: New gas line to Seaside Heights could take 8 months

SEASIDE HEIGHTS: Borough Mayor Bill Akers hopes to set a date as soon as possible to bus in borough residents, with proof of residency and identification, but isn’t certain how many people will be able to stay because of issues with the gas line after the storm.

“Even when this natural disaster’s over, that disaster’s going to exist,” he said.

The 12-inch line that brings natural gas to the borough needs to be re-run and Akers understands from New Jersey Natural Gas that it could be six to eight months before a new gas line is in.

That time frame won’t work, he said. He understands all utilities are working quickly to make repairs, but hopes the gas line will be made a priority to be put in much sooner to allow people to come back to their homes on a permanent basis.

“If you don’t have complete 100 percent electricity, you cannot stay here. You cannot survive the winter without heat,” he said.

The New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs has issued subpoenas to 65 businesses across the state, intensifying its investigation into more than 500 consumer complaints about alleged price gouging.

“Having visited some of the hardest-hit areas of our state, and having seen firsthand the suffering people are experiencing, I assure New Jersey’s residents and retailers that we are taking a zero-tolerance approach to price gouging,” said Gov. Chris Christie. “Fuel, electricity, food, and a place to sleep are not luxuries, certainly not for individuals who have been displaced from their homes and in many cases have limited resources at their disposal. We are not asking businesses to function as charities. We require that they obey New Jersey’s laws – or pay significant penalties.”

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Attorney General Jeffrey S. Chiesa noted that the division has received allegations of price gouging from all regions of the state, with complaints particularly prominent in Bergen, Essex, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, and Passaic counties. The top complaint categories are:

• Gasoline, with gas prices in some cases allegedly rising by $1 or more per gallon immediately following the storm, in some cases allegedly exceeding $5 per gallon. The division has also received complaints about gas stations charging more to fill up hand-held canisters than to fill car gas tanks, in apparent violation of state Motor Fuels Act protections related to fuel prices.

• Food, including reports of unexpectedly high prices at convenience stores and restaurants in certain areas, affecting consumers who are unable to cook a hot meal at home due to power outages.

• Lodging, including complaints about hotels and motels significantly raising their prices, allegedly for rooms that were rented at much lower rates before the storm.

“We have deployed 45 investigators into the field, and our investigative teams will continue to take consumers’ calls and investigate complaints through the weekend,” Attorney General Chiesa said. “We expect that, by the end of the weekend, we will have issued 100 subpoenas to gas stations, requiring them to provide their receipts and other information to demonstrate their prices, and the costs they faced, both before and during the state of emergency.”

Eric T. Kanefsky, Acting Director of the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs, said, “One of the most important steps a consumer can take to protect himself or herself is to demand a written receipt. Some businesses reportedly refused to issue receipts, or stated that their cash registers were unable to provide automated receipts due to power failures. You are still entitled to demand a written receipt that indicates the business sold you a given item for a given price on a given day. If it becomes necessary to file a complaint with the Division of Consumer Affairs, you will want to provide copies of receipts and any other documentation that may be available.”

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Consumers who suspect price gouging or any other violation of consumer protection laws, particularly as a result of Hurricane Sandy, are urged to call the Division of Consumer Affairs at (800) 242-5846.

New Jersey's price gouging law makes it illegal to set excessive price increases during a declared state of emergency or for 30 days after the termination of the state of emergency. The law defines excessive increases as any more than 10 percent higher than the price at which the merchandise was sold in the usual course of business prior to the state of emergency. If the seller faces additional costs imposed by suppliers or logistical concerns, an excessive increase is any that is 10 percent above the normal markup from cost. Violations are punishable by civil penalties of up to $10,000 for the first offense and $20,000 for the second and subsequent offenses. Each individual sale of merchandise is considered a separate and distinct event.

Consumers who believe they have been cheated or scammed by a business, or suspect any other form of consumer abuse, can file a complaint with the State Division of Consumer Affairs by visiting its website, or by calling 1-800-242-5846 (toll free within New Jersey) or 973-504-6200.

3:40 p.m. Christie says he'll publicize utility plans

Gov. Chris Christie says his office has compiled a list of when utility companies expect to restore electric service to every community knocked out by Superstorm Sandy.

He said he will make the list public so residents can better plan their lives.

At the peak of the storm, 2.7 million commercial and residential customers across the state had their power out.

The governor says the number was down to 1.4 million by Friday afternoon.

He says the 8,000 out-of-state crew members have now arrived in New Jersey, joining 10,000 based in the state.

3 p.m. Ocean County Mall reopens

The Ocean County Mall in Toms River reopened for business Friday and resumed regular hours. The mall has set up charging stations for residents who would like to power up their mobile devices. The mall has also rescheduled its Halloween mall-wide trick-or-treating and Simon Kidgits Club Spooktacular events, which now will take place from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Monday.

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2:15 p.m. Federal officials add two counties to disaster jobless list

Federal officials have added Bergen and Somerset counties to the list of New Jersey counties where residents left jobless because of Sandy are eligible for unemployment benefits.

The disaster unemployment assistance program is offered to people who otherwise may not be eligible for regular unemployment insurance.

Those who are unemployed because of the disaster should first file for unemployment insurance benefits through the Internet by going to www.njuifile.net .

In addition to Bergen and Somerset counties, the program also is available for residents of Atlantic, Cape May, Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, and Union counties.

1:30 p.m. Tuckerton Beach community destroyed by hurricane

TUCKERTON: The bayside community of Tuckerton Beach was laid waste by Sandy, with 32 homes totally destroyed and 280 severely damaged, said Harold Spedding, the borough's emergency management coordinator.

An enormous surge carried in from Little Egg Inlet on Monday smashed houses, carried some off their foundations and tumbled hundreds of boats around marinas and lagoon neighborhoods.

"This is one of the worst I've seen," said Spedding, a former emergency coordinator for the State Police who had a second career with the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

"Our flood level is 7 feet (above mean low water). If you add 5 or 6 feet on top of that, we're boiling. We had places flooded in the borough that never flooded before," Spedding said.

Re-entry was delayed for days until workers could track down and seal natural gas leaks where houses had been torn away.

With 650 homes in the area, there's a year-round population of about 300, borough officials said. Homeowners are not coming back in yet, but on Friday workers were preparing, turning the water supply back on and restoring power connections.

12:30 p.m. U.S. Transportation Secretary visits Ocean County

BRICK TOWNSHIP: U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is in New Jersey Friday as part of the federal recovery effort in the wake of Sandy.

Christie on Thursday announced the federal government will be providing rail cars to help NJ Transit get train service up and running. The governor said 25 percent of the system’s rail cars were in yards that flooded.

11:45 a.m. Government moves to allow oil tankers in Northeast

The Department of Homeland Security is temporarily waiving some maritime rules to allow foreign oil tankers coming from the Gulf of Mexico to enter Northeastern ports.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano says she is waiving the Jones Act, which prohibits international cargo ships from transporting oil between U.S. ports , until Nov. 13.

The rule is being temporarily waived to help ease the fuel shortage in the Northeast in the wake of Superstorm Sandy.

11:07 a.m. State sets up counseling program

A crisis counseling program has been launched by the state Department of Human Services Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services, in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy. The program is based on resilience and its focus is on active listening and helping those affected to cope with the disaster. Crisis counselors will provide services in communities affected by the storm.

The toll free helpline for the program is 1-877-294-HELP (4357) and the TTY number is 1-877- 294-4356.

10:45 a.m. Christie: Atlantic City casinos can reopen

Gov. Chris Christie announced Friday that Atlantic City’s 12 casinos can reopen after a nearly five-day shutdown for Superstorm Sandy, but it’s unclear when they will be ready to do so.

Christie announced the order to allow reopening at 10 a.m. Friday and said it was effective immediately. He also allowed roads to the seaside resort, which was subject to a mandatory evacuation, to reopen.

Tropicana Casino and Resort President Tony Rodio, who also heads the Casino Association of New Jersey, said the casinos are working on the logistics of opening.

He also said it’s unclear whether they will need to be inspected before they can welcome customers.

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Getting workers in place at the businesses could be a challenge. The city has been shut down since Sunday. And now that it’s reopening, traffic congestion could be a major problem.

As of this morning, Jersey Central Power & Light said it has restored power to 490,000 of its customers with 710,000 still out as of today.

Workers have been able to continue work on damaged transmission lines as well, said spokesman Ron Morano. “Eventually a lot of that back work will be done and that will enable everyone to go out and work on the distribution system which will help move the restoration along,” Morano said. “That back work takes a lot of time and effort to do things.”

More than 5,000 people are working to restore power, including line workers and tree trimmers.

As for reports that nonunion utility crews are being turned away, Morano said it is not JCP&L. The utility has nonunion outside crews working.

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“We are working with our union,” Morano said. “They know this is an all-hands event.”

10 a.m. Home inspections today on the mainland in Brick

Brick Township building inspectors and structural engineers will be conducting home-by-home evaluations in the affected areas of the township’s mainland today, police said.

They will check the structural integrity of all homes affected by the storm.

All inspectors will have identification and will be accompanied by a Department of Public Works employee.

If a home is deemed unsafe, they will leave an “order to vacate” sticker on the front door.

Residents who only have an “order to vacate” sticker on the door, can still enter the home to obtain personal belongings and valuables.

Residents cannot enter their homes if there is also yellow caution tape around the house, because it is not structurally safe, police said.

Anyone with questions about their homes, can call the township’s call center at 732-262-1234.

9:50 a.m. Brick EMS will refill oxygen bottles for residents

The Brick EMS Unit has set up an oxygen refilling station for residents at the Brick Township Volunteer EMS building, 500 Aurora Drive, Brick.

Residents can fill one D sized bottle. The refilling station will be open today from noon to 5 p.m. Future dates will be announced, depending upon available resources, police said.

As dusk fell Thursday in the Belford section of Middletown, a couple of buddies brought Joe Shopp a paper bag full of smokes and some Coors Lights.

Shopp planned to spend the night guarding the Belford Marina from looters, he said.

“People have been coming here to take whatever they can get, from the boats and from what’s lying around,” said Shopp, who figured he’d use one of many pieces of wood laying around the marina for protection if need be.

Shopp and others who are part of the Belford Seafood Coop are taking turns guarding the marina, standing in front of a piece of compressed wood spray painted with the words “No Trespass.”

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Bob Best, who owns the adjacent Shoal Harbor Lobster Co., said the concern is warranted. During the day, Best said he has seen men drive to the isolated location in pickup trucks, the vehicles’ bays loaded with pieces of metal.

“To us, this is a total loss, but for them, it’s money,” said Best, as he sat around various pieces of fishing and restaurant equipment that Sandy mashed up.

Best set up large pieces of washed-up lumber around his property’s perimeter, so at least those looking to steal from the site can’t just drive their vehicles right up to what they want, he said. Best and others also plan on taking turns visiting the site at random times during the night.

The Berkeley Little League concession stand will be open from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. today, providing free soup, coffee and hot food for storm victims.

The stand is operating on generator power. Cell phones can be charged there.

In a statement, the league said it wanted to thank ShopRite of Bayville and Martell's Water Edge for their donations.

The stand is located off of Route 9, at the Moorage Complex, on Red Bank and Moorage avenues.

7:05 a.m. Long wait for gasoline continue

Before sunrise, there was a steady line of headlights, shining on local highways.

There were long lines at area gas stations on Route 18 in East Brunswick and Old Bridge and at the rest stop on the Garden State Parkway in Wall.

On Route 18 south in Old Bridge, the Wawa gas station is open and police were blocking the entrance from highway, instead having customers line up on the side street. The end of the line was not visible from Route 18.